I can’t blog about Madrid restaurants without including my favorite one, which I’ve been saving for last. Lateral, a trendy tapas bar, has several locations throughout Madrid, but my favorite was the Chueca location.
Every time I went, there was a guaranteed wait (no reservations), but it’s so good–and so cheap–that I just came to accept it. They keep the lights dim with tightly packed, candlelit tables and fast, bustling service.
Their menu is a list of typical tapas: spanish tortilla, croquetas, pisto, veal meatballs, iberian cured ham, patatas bravas and blood sausage, as well as more comfortable American favorites, like salad, baked potato and garlic bread, all with a Spanish flair. And, they have English menus if you ask, which makes it a great place to bring visiting friends and family.
The last time I went, I ordered spanish tortilla (a potato omelette) and a baked potato … can anyone tell I like carbs? Their tortilla is prepared my favorite way: rare. The eggs are undercooked and creamy, and the potatoes are lathered in that eggy deliciousness, with onions mixed throughout to add flavor.
Oozing tortilla espanola...YUM!!!!
The baked potato was equally creamy and delicious. The preparation was unique–Lateral baked the potato, scooped out the insides and mashed it with cheese and ham (exactly like the inside of a croqueta, another popular Spanish tapa), then refilled the potato skin. They then topped it with a sunny-side up quail egg. Once you break open the potato, and the egg oozes out over everything, it’s perfectly salty and savory from the ham, cheese and egg yolk.
Before...
...After!
Lateral also has fabulous jarras de (pitchers of) sangria, adding to the trendy, young atmosphere. It’s by far my top recommendation for students abroad in Madrid!
Lateral, five locations (my favorite: C/ Fuencarral 43) in Madrid, Spain
